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I am always thinking about getting a sports car for weekend driving to the coast and such.
Now no way something new and expensive, neither something that everyone has. But then again it would be nice to also get there so I guess something like Alfa GTV is out of the question
I was thinking Fiat Coupe Turbo, but then this car is really designed so it can be as expensive to repair as possible. We are easily talking up to several $k on repairs per year, depending on what goes bad. Then it is a rather big no no for all kind of wet conditions and probably not more reliable then GTV anyways.

So now I have my eye on Ford Cougar. Out of production in 2003 and not many sold in Europe. Infact one guy on a fan board said there was only something like 3000 in total sold in France, for example.

Model is Ford Cougar 2.5L 24V V6 170PS and looks exactly as the one on the pics bellow:pic 1pic 2

ALU wheels are the same as those on the second picture and it has no rear spoiler (but that can be fixed )

I can get good deal on it, great condition and very low mileage, the thing is more or less new.
Still this is no real sports car, even with 225KM/h and 8.6 from 0-100, its really more of a tourer then anything else.
Its front wheel car.
Corners are not its best feauture, probably my Golf has better handling. On the other hand it has the looks and its supposed to be reliable and when on the motorway not many will be able to overtake you. Plus lets not forget the sound .

I am always thinking about getting a sports car for weekend driving to the coast and such.
Now no way something new and expensive, neither something that everyone has. But then again it would be nice to also get there so I guess something like Alfa GTV is out of the question
I was thinking Fiat Coupe Turbo, but then this car is really designed so it can be as expensive to repair as possible. We are easily talking up to several $k on repairs per year, depending on what goes bad. Then it is a rather big no no for all kind of wet conditions and probably not more reliable then GTV anyways.

So now I have my eye on Ford Cougar. Out of production in 2003 and not many sold in Europe. Infact one guy on a fan board said there was only something like 3000 in total sold in France, for example.

Model is Ford Cougar 2.5L 24V V6 170PS and looks exactly as the one on the pics bellow:pic 1pic 2

ALU wheels are the same as those on the second picture and it has no rear spoiler (but that can be fixed )

I can get good deal on it, great condition and very low mileage, the thing is more or less new.
Still this is no real sports car, even with 225KM/h and 8.6 from 0-100, its really more of a tourer then anything else.
Its front wheel car.
Corners are not its best feauture, probably my Golf has better handling. On the other hand it has the looks and its supposed to be reliable and when on the motorway not many will be able to overtake you. Plus lets not forget the sound .

So what do ya think?

Good choice mate, very different looking car - our neighbour had one in purple a few years back. It's a real bonus that there are so few of them on the roads. I don't know much about the car, but being a Ford it'll be cheap to run. What Golf do you have at the moment out of interest?

What about the Ford Puma? im not sure what engines they come in so they might look faster than they go! Jezza Clarkson raced a Ford Cougar V6 round a track against Colin McRae's 300BHP Focus WRC and a Ford V10 F1 car! not all starting at the same time of course was fun to watch.

i know nick will back me up on this one but what about a sporty hot hatch? Clio 172, Focus ST170 if you can get one cheap. you cant go faster for less with the Clio though, £4,000 buys you a higher millage MK1 version like THIS and £5,500+ gets you the newer shape like THIS 172BHP, 0-60MPH in about 6.5 secs, top speed of 140mph-ish and its one of the best handling cars on the road!

Good choice mate, very different looking car - our neighbour had one in purple a few years back. It's a real bonus that there are so few of them on the roads. I don't know much about the car, but being a Ford it'll be cheap to run. What Golf do you have at the moment out of interest?

Nick

Yeah few is what I like, you know you are always thinking if I choose the right model, drive it for a while, then park it in some garage for say 10 years, I might have a clasic one day, possibly
Checking the forums they all seem to agree it is rather economical, as far as V6 can be and realibility wise its really your typical Ford engine,used in all sort of cars till now, so thats a definite bonus. That Fiat Coupe Turbo 200PS for example was built so inteligently, that they have to take the whole engine out at least every 100k KM, simply to change the timing belt, thus the extra running costs

As for Golf its regular Golf IV 1.6 100PS, drives great though. I drive Neon 2.0 sometimes and Golf is way better,can handle corners like no car I had till now, well maybe Escort came close (EU version was much better car, for ya Americans info )

Originally Posted by Martin_89

Focus ST170 if you can get one cheap...

I was looking at one of those, but even with all the extra goodies its still a hatchback like Golf, you know not much difference in the looks department.
I definitely agree with you as far as handling goes, cars like Clio you mentioned or that poison of a Saxo are great for shall we say "enthusiast driver" , but I really am after something that looks apart as well. And roads are now full of hot hatchbacks.
Oh and I almost bought Puma few years back but then I was put off a bit couse of its small size, I might be getting old or something but I kinda like car to be at least as wide as a Golf.
BTW I wouldnt mind the new Golf GTI, but the price tag is a bit too much and they are a real thief magnet.
Now from what I read this Cougar is really a cruiser or a tourer but it sure makes up for it in the looks department.

BTW this is the picture of what they can do out of your regular Cougar, it was supposed to be its 200PS version but was eventually canceled, still you can get the kit to make it look rather similar:

lol the saxo VTR (1.6 8V Phase1 90BHP/Phase2 100BHP) and VTS (1.6 16V 120BHP), i hate the VTR sooo much, mostly because its driven by 17yr old tossers over here who think its the fastest thing in the world. VTS with its 120BHP 1.6 16V engine is better although id rather take the Pug 106 GTi

i know what you mean about the looks, the hot hatches are so much fun to drive and look ok but they dont look like "real" sports cars. im trying to think about others, a Mazda RX7? Toyota Celica? Hyundai Coupe are just a couple

I like the new Hyundai Coupe, but for some inexplicable reason V6 costs as much as Golf GTI down here, which is IMO way too much for this kind of car, especially if you know how much the same car costs in US

BTW great thing about the Cougar is I can get it for cash whereas with something as expensive as Golf GTI I would have to go for credit and the one thing I dont like is to be in debt with the bank
Oh and I intend to keep Golf for now so I will still have a hatchback

Oh and it is kinda funny that both cars wont have even close the horse power the jankersons new monster will have
Then again 300PS+ engine on EU gas prices one would go broke in no time

i dont really know but i would think those american trucks dont go round the corners too well (probably because they dont have to)

My Dodge Ram handles extremely well really.

You would be suprised, but with the very stiff supension and wide tires (245 70 SR 17" Mich LTX AS) the almost 5000 lb truck corners very well even at 70 or 80 mph on the back roads around the corners.